Peter Capaldi to Bow Out From Doctor Who

(BBC) – Actor Peter Capaldi is stepping down from the lead role in the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who.

Capaldi shocked fans by making the announcement during an interview with BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley.

The 58-year-old Glasgow-born star, who became the 12th actor to play The Doctor in 2013, said he will leave Doctor Who at the end of the year.

“I feel it’s time to move on,” he said. “I feel sad, I love Doctor Who, it is a fantastic programme to work on.”

‘IT’S BEEN COSMIC’

He added: “I can’t praise the people I work with more highly, but I have always been someone that did a lot of different things.”

He said he was asked to stay on after his contract ran out, but that he wanted to move on to other challenges after the forthcoming tenth series.

The new series airs in the spring and Capaldi said his final episode would be shown at Christmas.

He added: “One of the greatest privileges of being Doctor Who is to see the world at its best.

“From our brilliant crew and creative team working for the best broadcaster on the planet, to the viewers and fans whose endless creativity, generosity and inclusiveness points to a brighter future ahead.